International Travellers'' Hostel & Bistro (Varanasi, India)

A hostel run out of an ancestral family house. The owner lives in Germany, but his staff, Dada and Manash, manage the hostel. There are mixed and female dormitories available with 4-5 beds each. There is a cottage-style luxury room with en-suite bathroom for the ones with a slightly higher budget, and a tent for the ones on extremely tight budget. Breakfast is included in nightly prices. The rooms are cozy and silent with comfortable beds. AC dorms have single beds and are very spacious. The hostel also features a bistro that serves delicious vegetarian and vegan meals. Their menu also includes – rare to find in India – authentic Italian coffee. There are several pleasant common areas – including a garden and a huge rooftop. It''s a great place to be away from the chaos of Varanasi. Very good to socialize with other travellers, and for celebrating Indian festivals, especially Holi. Includes Wi-Fi, TV, iPod dock, DVDs, books, card & board games, PC, lockers, washing machine, communal kitchen and purified drinking water. They also offer power generator back-up, which can be very helpful during scorching Indian summers, so that your room AC functions even through the long power outages that are very common in India. All-in-all a unique hostel. Highly recommended.